What did they use for reloading back in the day?

[Kev18]

Also... what kind of container did they carry gun oil in?

[Bent Ramrod]

Most of them were plain metal cylinders, either with a shaped and polished hole inside, or a knob on one end, or a decapping pin on the other end. If you were lucky, they might stamp a caliber marking on them. Part of the reason the Sharps reloading tools are so uncommon; they looked like junk to most people, and doubtless a lot of them were thrown away. Many others looked similar, and suffered the same fate.

Attachment 245663

This is a more elegant example than the tools the reloader usually got in the pre-tong tool era. Made by the Marlin Company. A nutcracker-type re- and decapper and a neck sizing/boolit seating chamber with hand plunger. Nickel-plated.

Anybody ever try to push out a fired primer with the decapping pin on the end of one of these? Takes stronger hands and arms than I have. I can't imagine that you were supposed to hit the hinge or end with anything to knock them out. The primers must have been pretty loose in the folded head original shells.

[Kev18]

Most of them were plain metal cylinders, either with a shaped and polished hole inside, or a knob on one end, or a decapping pin on the other end. If you were lucky, they might stamp a caliber marking on them. Part of the reason the Sharps reloading tools are so uncommon; they looked like junk to most people, and doubtless a lot of them were thrown away. Many others looked similar, and suffered the same fate.

Attachment 245663

This is a more elegant example than the tools the reloader usually got in the pre-tong tool era. Made by the Marlin Company. A nutcracker-type re- and decapper and a neck sizing/boolit seating chamber with hand plunger. Nickel-plated.

Anybody ever try to push out a fired primer with the decapping pin on the end of one of these? Takes stronger hands and arms than I have. I can't imagine that you were supposed to hit the hinge or end with anything to knock them out. The primers must have been pretty loose in the folded head original shells.

Iv'e never seen a set like that. Nice!

[Green Frog]

Also... what kind of container did they carry gun oil in?

I think a little tin can with a small spout and screw-on cap. Sort of like a little all metal version of the 3-in-1 Oil can that used to be so common in everyone's home. There were also some drum style cans as well, again all metal. Some little glass bottles were used, but I wouldn't want to have had one of those bouncing around in my saddle bags!

Froggie

[Green Frog]

Most of them were plain metal cylinders, either with a shaped and polished hole inside, or a knob on one end, or a decapping pin on the other end. If you were lucky, they might stamp a caliber marking on them. Part of the reason the Sharps reloading tools are so uncommon; they looked like junk to most people, and doubtless a lot of them were thrown away. Many others looked similar, and suffered the same fate.

Attachment 245663

This is a more elegant example than the tools the reloader usually got in the pre-tong tool era. Made by the Marlin Company. A nutcracker-type re- and decapper and a neck sizing/boolit seating chamber with hand plunger. Nickel-plated.

Anybody ever try to push out a fired primer with the decapping pin on the end of one of these? Takes stronger hands and arms than I have. I can't imagine that you were supposed to hit the hinge or end with anything to knock them out. The primers must have been pretty loose in the folded head original shells.

Nice set, BR. I've had one of those sets in 32-40 on my want list for about 25 years. I've got the priming tool, but have had no luck on the seating tool.

Of course I've still got the S&W set I've show here before (in 32 S&W) that is essentially a miniature of the same thing, and other than being a little clumsy for my fat fingers, it works well too. I can imagine lots of rounds for revolvers being loaded this way "back in the day." BTW, the little wooden mushroom-looking decapper that came with the early ones of those sets couldn't have put too much push on the primers, so they must not have been too heavily seated.

Froggie

[Chill Wills]

I knew about old tong type tools, I have 2.. One that I use quite alot. And it's in good condition! I think its one of the early Winchester models. I have a book from 1950 with alot of the reloading tong style tools and mine isnt in it. It has the mold attached to it.

It looks like the IDEAL #6 tool (off the top of my head)

[Kev18]

It looks like the IDEAL #6 tool (off the top of my head)

I'm not sure when it was made but the winchester patent on it is 1884

[Kev18]

I think a little tin can with a small spout and screw-on cap. Sort of like a little all metal version of the 3-in-1 Oil can that used to be so common in everyone's home. There were also some drum style cans as well, again all metal. Some little glass bottles were used, but I wouldn't want to have had one of those bouncing around in my saddle bags!

Froggie

I would like a little glass bottle but what could I use as a cap? It wasn't cork because that absorbs... Maybe birch but that absorbs too. So i dont know...

[country gent]

A lot of the bottles had a small fitted glass stopper. Some even had a wire clip to hold it in

[Pressman]

These were another option, though a costly one. The Frankford Arsenal tool sets. They were made from about 1885? to 1909? Give or take a year. This set is 1908. It is a complete set for two calibers, US 1898 and US1903. The sets had a lot of changes with each year of production, the year each tool was made is stamped on the tool.
As near as I can tell this is the first practical press used for reloading. The box contains all the dies used by the tools along with a metal oil can, screw drivers and case length gauges.

Few sets were sold, even fewer survived the last 120 years intact.

Ken

[Chill Wills]

I'm not sure when it was made but the winchester patent on it is 1884

The photo image on the screen is the size of a 12 story building and I can only see a little part of it. Does the tool have a Winchester marking and address? If so, I am wrong about who made it.
It looks in general (to me) like this one
only without the adjustable chamber.

[Kev18]

The photo image on the screen is the size of a 12 story building and I can only see a little part of it. Does the tool have a Winchester marking and address? If so, I am wrong about who made it.
It looks in general (to me) like this one
only without the adjustable chamber.

It has the winchester patent and address on it.

[Pressman]

Chill Wills, you are correct, that is an Ideal No 6 with single adjustable chamber.

It is not a Winchester made tool.

[KCSO]

I currently have several catalogs from the 1870 1880 period and one from the Union Hardware Co. Their loading blocks were... the same as we use, more or less. A wooden block with holes for the cases or most unique a tray with rails and slots for loading shotgun shells. I have a fair collection of original tools and use them to make my black powder shotgun loads. I did and article on using the Ideal tools and loaded up 50 rounds of 38 s and w and 40 rounds of 45-110 and tested them for accuracy and function in both the Sharps and a Smith Baby Russian.

They work fine but production is NOT Dillon. IIRR 50 rounds of 38's casting sizing and reloading in the Ideal took most of a night.

Check out Cornell Publications for copies of the old manuals and catalogs.

[Kev18]

I currently have several catalogs from the 1870 1880 period and one from the Union Hardware Co. Their loading blocks were... the same as we use, more or less. A wooden block with holes for the cases or most unique a tray with rails and slots for loading shotgun shells. I have a fair collection of original tools and use them to make my black powder shotgun loads. I did and article on using the Ideal tools and loaded up 50 rounds of 38 s and w and 40 rounds of 45-110 and tested them for accuracy and function in both the Sharps and a Smith Baby Russian.

They work fine but production is NOT Dillon. IIRR 50 rounds of 38's casting sizing and reloading in the Ideal took most of a night.

Check out Cornell Publications for copies of the old manuals and catalogs.

Where do you find these old catalogs? I love old stuff.

[onelight]

Also... what kind of container did they carry gun oil in?

And what was considered good gun oil on the frontier ?
We have all kinds of fancy oils and I still worry about rust on my blued guns.

[country gent]

I believe the premier top of the line gun/interment oil of the day was sperm whale oil or head oil, then there were the rendered animal oils made on the frontier. There were also various "steam" oils made from plants.